Documenting violent incidents, threats can often be difficult for elderly residents

For the second time two years, a Las Cruces senior citizen reached out to ABC 7 because she feels unsafe in her own home.

Julie Boyer has lived in Los Arboles Mobile Home Park in Las Cruces around five years.

Barking dogs, verbal abuse and intimidation from neighbors top the list of incidents Boyer said she has experienced in her community.

“This is the home for the rest of my years far as I’m concerned,” said Boyer. “So I’m tough enough not to be afraid of them, but I’m also wanting to stop the harassment. I don’t have to take this.”

ABC 7 obtained a document showing that since 2012 when Boyer moved to Los Arboles Mobile Home Park, she filed seven different incident reports.

Las Cruces police department spokesman Dan Trujillo said a vital move to ensure your safety is to document every instance in which you feel unsafe by recording it on a cell phone or security camera.

“The whole key is to not et something build up over time,” said Trujillo.”Try to file one report, and then try to document further incidents if there are any. And if there are any, call police again.”

For people like Boyer. who lives on a very strict income and cannot afford a cell phone, documenting any altercations is as simple as writing down the date, time and description of what occurred.

“I’m trying to make this a nicer community for all of us, but they don’t look at it that way,” said Boyer.